


Diamond in the Rough

by Mello_Drama_Reborn



Category: Future Card Buddyfight
Genre: Fantasy AU, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-13
Updated: 2020-01-13
Packaged: 2021-02-22 05:37:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,594
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22244119
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mello_Drama_Reborn/pseuds/Mello_Drama_Reborn
Summary: Magoroku Shido is a starting adventurer, and this means being properly equipped to face the many monsters that live in the mines outside of town. And THAT means wearing proper armor, but proper armor is UGLY, and Shido wants to feel COOL.In which Shido comes to know the town armorers, and one in particular makes him gifts of increasing significance.
Relationships: Gremlin | Oomori Retsu/Shidou Magoroku





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Not a repost!! Though still old. And incomplete. (UNLESS....?)
> 
> The setting takes inspiration from Dungeon World, but it is far more inspired by Rune Factory and Stardew Valley. Black Dragon Priest, Gremlin is not applicable.
> 
> Also, I'm sorry I call him Shido instead of Magoroku. This is what happens when you watch the dub. I know find and replace exists but... Roll with it.
> 
> Anywho, I love MagoRetsu with all my heart.

Retsu looked up as a very irate blond barged into his workshop, glancing quickly at the finished products on the walls.

“May I help yo-”

“I can’t believe they denied me entry to the caves!”

The stranger’s outburst cut off Baku’s welcome, and Retsu waved him back to his station, getting up from his counter instead. He didn’t like leaving the bad customers to his apprentice, even if he was the more sociable of the two.

“Let me guess- not enough protection?”

“Wha- yes!” He glanced up as if he just realized there were people running the shop. “The nerve of them! I’m as ready as can be!”

“No, you’re not. You’ll get killed if you go out without proper armor.”

The blond scoffed, walking over to a suit of copper armor on display.

“My armor is way more proper than this ugly hunk of junk!” He gave it a flick, quickly taking his hand back- god, he hurt his finger on the armor. How very demonstrative.

Compared to the armor he was standing next to, the blond was basically unprotected. He was wearing a decorative tunic over what could only be called leather armor in a theatre setting, with a few additional leather pads that looked more like fashionable accents than protection. His head and legs were completely unprotected (leggings? really?) and while his boots looked serviceable enough, they were also fancy enough that it was probably a coincidence. At least he probably had the money to afford actual gear.

“Let me guess- you’ve fashioned yourself as some sort of up-in-coming hero? Hoping to look good when they paint tapestries in your honor?”

“I WILL look good! I already look amazing!”

Retsu had to stop himself from making a rude remark, sneaking a look at Baku instead before moving to find some platemail in the customer’s size.

“Whatever- you need something metal.” He could already hear whining behind him as he took something down from the wall.

“Uggh, it’s all so _ugly_ though!”

The blond squirmed as Retsu pressed the armor up to him to test for size, shaking his head and turning to get a different one.

“It’s necessary. The monsters in those caves have teeth and claws capable of tearing through leather armor.” He nodded as his second try looked to be a good fit, returning it to the wall before starting to head to the back. “Baku, show him the monster book to scare him a little, I’m going to go see what we have in his size.”

Retsu left, and Baku beckoned the customer over, taking out a large leather-bound volume.

“Hey. I’m Baku, Retsu’s apprentice. Oh, Retsu’s the guy you were talking to earlier.” He started flipping through the book, the blond watching disinterestedly.

“I’m Shido.”

“Nice. Anyway, while we’re waiting on him, check this out, bro.” He pointed to a page with a drawing of a large rat, the facing page showing a spider. “Since you’ll just be starting out, you’ll probably be seeing a lot of enemies like these. I make daggers out of the rat’s claws, so I can tell you that they’re real sharp. And the spiders over there sometimes spit acid that can definitely burn through leather if it’s thin enough.” He glanced up from the book, looking Shido over. “And, yours is definitely thin enough.” Shido just glared as a response, and Baku shut the book, keeping on his natural customer service face.  
“Anyway, if you plan on adventuring, you’re going to be coming here a lot, so I might as well tell you what we do here.” He stood up, gesturing to the tools and weapons behind him. “You probably already know, but this is the armory. Pretty much anything you need, offensive or defensive, is here- as long as you don’t use magic.” He waved a hand to keep Shido’s attention on him, already tiring of the explanation. “As you might’ve guessed from the book, I specialize in working with materials from monsters, so if you slay something while you’re out in the caves, you can bring the carcass back here and I might buy them from you to make weapons from and stuff.” He looked over as Retsu returned with a rack of armor, pointing a thumb over. “That guy’s the head craftsman, though. He works with more of the metals and gems, so if you’re lucky enough to find some of that, you can take it over to him.” He gave a friendly wave to Retsu, who stood waiting beside the armor rack. “Hey Rets, this is Shido!”

“Wonderful. Come over here, Shido.” Shido plodded over despondently, and Retsu gestured to the contents of the rack.  
“Unfortunately, practicality and fashion often come at the expense of each other, and getting both tends to come at the expense of… You.”

“You apparently make it all, why can’t you fix that?”

“It’s a matter of being paid for time and effort.” He ignored Shido’s impatient look, stepping aside to give him more access to the rack. “Hopefully we can find some sort of compromise.”  
Shido reluctantly approached the armor, mumbling to himself as he did so.

“I don’t remember saying I wanted to buy armor from you guys… Ugg _hh_ , and they all have helmets!”

“Of course they do, head wounds can be fatal.”

“But they’re _ugly_ and they hide my face.”

“This isn’t a compromise you can make.” Retsu had to turn around to stop Baku from laughing, silencing him with a glare. “I assure you, that pretty face of yours will look a lot nicer not covered in blood and bruises.”

“... You think I have a pretty face?”

Retsu sighed, quickly shooting Baku another silencing glare.

“Look, your choices are to buy something here, or call off your adventuring plans. Just look over your options here and think about it.”

Eventually, Shido begrudgingly made a purchase and headed out, and Retsu went back to his counter with a sigh of relief.

“I hate dealing with idiots like him.”

“Really? Looks to me like you kinda liked him!” Baku laughed off the glare Retsu gave him, leaning in as he added with a grin, “You said he had a pretty face~!”  
Retsu only groaned as Baku laughed louder, eventually quieting down to look at him with more concern.  
“You worried about him?”

Retsu said nothing, letting out another groan.

“... He’s going to get himself killed.”

“Rets-” Baku reached out a hand as Retsu got up, heading for the door.

“I’m going to tell Kuguru to let me know if he ends up in her clinic.”

Retsu did not expect to be visiting that clinic later that day, but it was only a few hours later that Baku ran over during his break with a message from Kuguru.  
Retsu shoved open the doors with more force than was warranted for a day old acquaintance, quickly turning to face Kuguru at the front of the building.

“Is that idiot really here?”

Kuguru nearly jumped at his loud entrance, giving him a hurried nod.

“He passed out from exhaustion not too far into one of the caves and hit his head on a rock. He probably would’ve bled out if Sofia hadn’t found him!”

“Head wound, of course-” he restrained the urge to hit something, instead shooting a glare towards some medical supplies. “Where is he?”

“Just behind that curtain- he should be waking up soon.”

Retsu strutted off without another word, shoving aside the curtain as roughly as he had the door.  
On the other side, he quickly spotted Shido on one of the beds, head wrapped in a bandage. He was already awake, grimacing as Retsu made his way over.

“Why did you take off the helmet?”

“Wha-? How do you know that I-”

“The guards shouldn’t let you past the city gates without one, it’s their job to stop people from going out without proper equipment!” He felt a pressure on his shoulder, turning to find Kuguru with a finger to her lips. He let out an agitated sigh, sitting himself down in the seat beside Shido’s bed and fixing him a glare. “Tell me.”

Shido shifted uncomfortably, staring down into his lap.

“It was heavy and stuffy and I couldn’t see...” He watched as Retsu looked him over, growing increasingly nervous. “... Is my face not pretty anymore?”

“...It’ll heal.” Retsu felt Kuguru’s hand leave his shoulder, turning around to see it pressed to her mouth instead as she tried to repress a laugh. “... Please don’t tell me Baku told you about that.”

Kuguru failed to hide her smile behind her hands.

“He did.”  
Retsu groaned, and Kuguru turned her attention back to Shido, giving him a smile.  
“Anyway, I looked at your head, Shido, and your cut really isn’t that bad! Now that you’re awake, you can get right up and leave if you like.” Shido let out a sigh of relief, stepping out of the bed, and Kuguru moved to stop him before he could head out. “If I may, today was your first time in the caves, right, Shido?” Shido gave a nod, and Kuguru’s smile widened. “That’s what I thought! You see, a lot of adventurers overextend themselves their first time, so passing out this time is nothing to get discouraged over! That is,” Retsu could see the pressure she put on Shido’s shoulder strengthen, her tone changing, “that is, if you make sure to keep what you learned in mind for next time. That means keeping on that helmet!”  
Shido nodded, head bowed as he picked up his gear and hurriedly left the clinic. Retsu started to follow after him, stopping when he heard Kuguru comment behind him “you really were worried about him.”

Retsu turned towards her exasperatedly.

“Did Baku spend his whole lunch break talking to you about me?”

“Pretty much! It’s rare for you to take an interest in someone. He seemed excited for you!”

Retsu sighed, turning away again.

“I just don’t like seeing my works get sold back to me after someone loots some fool’s corpse.”

With that he walked out, Kuguru watching after him before returning to her other patients.

Kuguru’s words proved true, and after the first incident, Retsu didn’t hear about Shido being brought to the clinic again. The next time he’d see him was when Shido came to sell some of his trophies to Baku, bragging loudly about each one before handing it over as if he was trying to make up for the spectacle he’d made with his earlier mishap. Baku played along, pretending he didn’t hear this kind of thing from half of the people who came to show him their more interesting kills, being sure to share some advice that he’d heard from other adventurers or from his book when he could.  
Every once in awhile, Shido looked over at Retsu, catching him by surprise each time, even if he was sure it was just to make sure he heard how capable he was.  
… Which he did, if only because there wasn’t anyone else in the shop to attend to.

Things continued the way they always had, with Shido’s occasional visits becoming just a small addition to their usual work in the armory. While he mainly came to brag and sell materials to Baku, Retsu would occasionally notice Shido glancing around at the works on display, eyes focusing on the more decorated pieces.

“I thought you said my wares were ugly?”

Shido jumped at suddenly being addressed, grimacing in Retsu’s direction before slowly looking back to the sword he’d been looking at.

“... Some of them are kinda nice, I guess.”

Retsu lifted an eyebrow, pausing before stepping out from behind his counter, coming around to lean casually against the front of it.

“There’s more than just monsters in those caves, you know. If you bring a hammer with you, you can uncover some pretty valuable ores and stones.” He glanced over towards towards a dagger on display next to him, Shido following his eyes to focus on the ruby in the center of its hilt. “Bring them back here, and I could maybe give you a discount on something custom.” He couldn’t help but smirk as Shido’s eyes lit up at him. “Maybe a new set of armor you’d be less likely to complain about?”

“Wha- you heard that?” Shido shot a panicked glance in Baku’s direction, but the craftsman only shrugged.

“If you didn’t want to be overheard, you should consider not voicing your complaints inside the store.” He got up, making his way back around the counter. “And while you’re considering that, consider my offer as well.”

Baku’s eyes went on him as soon as Shido left the store, fixing him a smug grin.

“What, were you getting lonely over there?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

He could feel Baku’s grin widen without looking, pointedly turning elsewhere to shine a bronze facet at his counter.

“You don’t normally make direct appeals for supplies. Jealous that Shido’s been spending more time at my station than yours?”

“... Shut up, Baku.”

Shido didn’t immediately show any sign that he’d considered Retsu’s offer, the next few visits consisting of the usual monster remains for Baku. Eventually, though, Shido did march up to Retsu’s counter, frowning as he emptied his pack of a few ore stones.

“Rocks. Are. Boring.”

“... Somehow I don’t think that’s what’s been stopping you.” He ignored Shido’s building frustration, instead picking up one of the ores to examine it.

“... It’s really hard to mine for anything valuable when monsters are attacking me- and it’s hard to tell which rocks are valuable in the first place, anyway!! They all look like dumb ol’ rocks!”

“You thought you’d swing your hammer and a neat bar of gold would just come tumbling out?”

“I had to ask for _advice!!_ It was awful!!”

Retsu couldn’t help but smirk, opening his register to take out an equal trade for the ore.

“I’m sure you’ve figured this out already, but it normally helps to go with a team so you have people to help keep enemies off you.” He slid the money across the counter, Shido starting to count it as Retsu pulled the rest of the ores to his side. “I’m sure an up-in-coming hero like yourself has garnered a few followers.” Shido fixed him a glare, and Retsu felt his smile widen. “Solo act? How very stubborn of you. I should’ve known.”

“... What about the custom armor?”

“Since it looks like you’re up to the task, I’ll start working on a design for you.” He looked up, and Shido gave him a stubborn nod.  
“Looking forward to future business with you.”

The design work wasn’t too hard. When something in the shop caught Shido’s eye, Retsu took a note of it, rotating what went on display and noting patterns. There were also hints in what Shido brought him- he could only carry so much, and what he decided to take back was influenced more by what he thought was valuable than their actual worth.

“You know, this stuff is waaay heavier than the stuff Baku wanted.”

Shido unloaded his pack onto Retsu’s counter, and he saw the usual patterns- mostly gold, some gemstones.

“You’ve become quite the successful miner. These aren’t easy to find.”

“Thanks, I found a deposit.” He grinned, and then his face fell into a scowl. “And hey- I’m not a miner, I’m a warrior!”

“All miners are warriors. Those mines aren’t full of friendly company, after all.”

Shido still had to fight off monsters in the caves to get to the deposits, so Retsu could get a good idea of his progress in the caves by what he brought to Baku, feigning disinterest as he continued sketching his design for the new armor.

“Hee~y.” Retsu visibly jolted as Shido sauntered over to his side of the store, laughing a bit at his expense. “You were staring again.”

“Wh- I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He looked away to avoid Shido’s sneer, turning to see Baku grinning just as widely. Wait, did he say again?

“You looked up from your drawing at one point and forgot to look down for like, 2 minutes.”

“It’s not a drawing, I’m working on a design. And I said I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“We were talking about you~”

“Hey, bro, don’t tell him that! You’ll get me in trouble!”

Retsu was glad he was looking at Baku when his eyes widened, quickly narrowing them into a glare at Baku’s little addition.

“Baku. We’re having a conversation later.”

Baku let out an exaggerated groan, and Shido let out another high pitched laugh in response. Retsu couldn’t help but smile at the sound of it, unable to catch himself before Baku saw, raising an eyebrow at him.

“Oh? Maybe we do need to have a conversation, Rets.”

It was Retsu’s turn to groan now, and Shido’s laughter did not sound quite so sweet when directed at him.

Fortunately, working on the armor served as an excellent deterrent from conversation. Baku knew better than to talk to Retsu when he was working, and when Retsu started holing himself in his workshop to focus on his newest project, Baku was left to attend to the armory alone.

“Huh? Retsu’s not here today...”

Shido’s head pivoted towards the empty counter as soon as he entered the armory, and Baku couldn’t help but smile, giving him a wave.

“He’s busy right now, so he won’t be in today. I can still take care of anything you need, though!”

“Oh.”

Shido made his way over, and Baku propped himself on an elbow, giving Shido a casual smile.

“I’m kind of surprised. I didn’t expect you to miss him that much.”

“Huh? Oh, uh..” Shido started emptying his pack on the counter, Baku gesturing to him to separate the ore from the monster materials. “Well, I guess I didn’t really believe you at first when you said he didn’t hate me,”

“I’m tellin’ you bro, he doesn’t run to the clinic to visit every adventurer he met that day!”

“Yeah, I guess, but anytime he said something to me, it seemed like he was just making fun of me,”

“And that’s why I said that’s just how he is! I mean, I know he likes me, and he can get majorly harsh, bro.”

“Mm hm, and then you were right about him staring at me, and then he started talking to me more, and..” He paused, having finished separating the contents of his pack. “He’s started smiling at me more. It’s weird.”

“Like… Bad weird?”

“Not bad weird, just… Weird.”

Baku nodded, handing over the money for monster parts before turning to the ores.

“Okay, you’re going to have to give me a second to get in character for this part.” He turned away, looking back with an exaggerated frown that immediately sent Shido into a fit of laughter, stopping either of them from noticing Retsu peer out from the back room.

“I thought I heard an annoyingly familiar sound.” He gave them both a smile, stepping out completely. “So, what’s so funny?”

“Oh, uh, nothing-!”

At this point, Shido was in hysterics, meaning only Baku caught the warm look Retsu sent his way. His look turned to Baku, giving him a wave.  
“Alright, I just came out for a bit of fresh air, so I’m going back to work. Keep holding down the fort for me, Baks!”

“Uh, yeah, will do, cus!”  
Retsu disappeared behind the door, and Baku turned back to Shido, who was finally regaining his composure.  
“That was kinda weird.. He doesn’t normally call me by that nickname when there are customers around.” He pondered it for a bit, before turning to Shido with a smile. “I guess this means he counts you as part of the family now, huh?”

“Wha- family? That’s a little-” he stopped himself, and Baku grinned.

“What? Had something else in mind?”

“What? Um, no! Nothing in mind! Nothing at all!!”

Baku laughed, deciding to let him off the hook as he turned his attention to the ore stones.

Next time Shido came, Retsu was back behind his counter, the two of them reacting immediately at the sight of each other.

“Retsu-”

“Go about your business. I’ll have something for you when you’re done.”

Shido just stared at him in confusion, pausing a moment before uncertainly moving to Baku’s counter. There was an air of anticipation - Baku didn’t know what was coming either - but they did business as usual. When Shido moved to Retsu’s counter, though, Retsu stopped him, turning away without a word and heading towards the workshop in the back.  
There was a few seconds of waiting, with Shido and Baku exchanging confused looks, and then the door opened again, an armor wrack leading the way as Retsu pushed his newest creation into the main room of the armory.

Shido and Baku both let out a gasp at the sight of it. It was beautiful, with a painstaking amount of design put into its details and decoration.  
Shido took a step toward it, hands reaching out but not touching it, still in awe.

“Is this… for me?”

“I’ll give it to you for 1000 g.”

“1000? Isn’t this worth way more than that?” Shido couldn’t keep still, circling around to look at the gold plating and embedded jewels.

“It’s a thank you for all the material you’ve brought me. It costs less to buy it from you then to order it from a middleman.” He stepped forward, running a hand across the shoulders of the armor, touch gentle as it glided across intricate work. “Besides, I want you stay safe down there. You won’t wear it unless it looks nice, right?”  
Shido made a noise of glee, grabbing the armor by the shoulders as if claiming it as his own. Retsu moved to stand beside him, giving him a smile.  
“Want to try it on? I want to know if it fits.”

Shido nodded excitedly, hurriedly moving to do so. Soon he was in front of the long mirror on the wall, with Retsu looking on in approval.

“It looks good on you.”  
Shido turned to point his grin at him, and Retsu’s own smile widened in return, stepping a bit closer so they both showed in the mirror.  
“So, would you mind wearing this when they go to paint tapestries in your honor?”

“Um- no! It’s beautiful, Retsu.”

“Glad to finally get a glowing review from you. I tried to suit it to your tastes.” His smirk had turned to arrogance, but it didn’t look much different from Shido’s own when they stood together in the mirror. “A bit flashier than what I’d usually make.”

“Well, it’s perfect, thank you.” Shido was still looking straight into the mirror rather than at Retsu, but he didn’t seem to mind, the picture of satisfaction from then to the point of paying for the armor to buying the ore from him to seeing him off.

As soon as he left, Baku turned on him, Retsu looking like he’d forgotten he was even there.

“Cus, that has got to be one of the best works I’ve ever seen from you!”

“Oh, thanks, Baks, I-”

“And you gave it away for basically nothing! Cus,” Baku had to lean around his counter to see Retsu’s face, Retsu turning away to hide it. “... You’re really in love with him, aren’t you?”

From his vantage point, Baku could just barely catch the way his expression darkened, mouth creasing into a hard frown.

“Baku...” Baku pulled back, suddenly wondering if he’d gone too far. “... Is it that obvious?”

“Wha-” He had to take a moment to process the words, Retsu turning to look uncertainly at him, face red with embarrassment. “Yes, it is! For you, it’s totally obvious!”

Retsu groaned, putting his face in his hands.

“Do you think he knows?”

“Rets, you sound like a little kid experiencing your first crush!” Baku couldn’t help but laugh, Retsu only frowning harder, looking absolutely miserable as Baku put a supportive arm around his shoulders.


	2. Chapter 2

Shido couldn’t keep the spring from his step as he entered the caves, eyes peeled for other adventurers to witness his new, absolutely gallant look. Over time, he’d come to know most of the regulars- people tended to find one cave that had what they needed and stuck to it, learning its layout and where to go to find or avoid certain monsters. This time, however, there was an unfamiliar suit of armor, to the point where he couldn’t even identify what material it was made out of.  
The stranger must’ve felt Shido staring, turning and seemingly tensing when he spotted him.

“Shido. I didn’t expect to run into you.”

“Oh, has my fame preceded me already? Wait-” he looked down at himself, and then back at the stranger, “I just got this armor, there’s no way you could recognise it.”

A low laugh rumbled through the armor opposite of him, the stranger starting to reach for this helmet visor.

“No, I suppose not. Just like how you can’t recognise me in mine.” He lifted the visor, revealing the familiar face of Retsu Omori. Shido balked at the sight of him, and Retsu seemed to enjoy his surprise, grinning as he turned to show off his armor. “Like it? It’s fire tempered to change its color. A personal favorite of mine.”

“Wha- since when do you go into the caves!?”

“I do every once in a while. Sometimes I find I don’t have what I need for a project, and it annoys me if I can’t go back to it right away.” He looked down into the cave, armor shining dimly from the light coming from the entrance behind him. “I came here with Baku, actually, but he, Kuguru, and Gao have been adventuring together for a while, and when I see them, I can’t make myself get in the way of their dynamic.”  
Shido had to briefly search his mental calendar, realizing it was the day off for both the armory and the clinic.  
Ugh, what a horrible day to go adventuring. The realization made him want to head back, but getting in and out of the armor took long enough as it was, and he was already there anyway. Moreover, Retsu was watching him now, a question forming on his lips.  
“... Would you like to go together? It’s not really safe to mine without a party, anyways.”

“Huh? Uh,” the thought of fighting off monsters with the local shopkeep struck him as odd, but it was a rare opportunity to show off his battle skills, and he couldn’t help but be a bit curious about how Retsu would fare as well. “... I guess I could let you tag along.”

Retsu let him lead the way, Shido knowing the cave pretty well by now, navigating the forks in their path without a second thought. Every once in a while he thought he heard the voices of what must’ve been Baku’s party, apparently not too far ahead of them, but for the most part they walked in silence, save for the clinking of their armor. 

“Shido, where’s your weapon?”

Retsu’s voice echoed oddly through his armor and across the cavern walls, Shido unaccustomed to making conversation while in the caves.

“Oh, uh, carrying both a weapon and a hammer around was way too heavy, and I figured the hammer is just as good for smashing heads as rocks, and,” he stopped when he heard Retsu laugh, turning to glare at him only to see him hefting his own hammer over his shoulder.

“Glad to hear a real adventurer came up with the same idea I did.”

Hearing Retsu call him a “real adventurer” made him feel giddy somehow, and combined with the self-conscious feeling of Retsu watching him as they walked, he was suddenly impatient for a fight, turning onto a path with more monsters. 

Unfortunately, the first ones they came across were some giant spiders (how was he still fighting these?! It was like his third cave, he should be fighting something way more impressive by now!) and rather that come at them from the front like Shido was hoping, the spiders climbed across the cavern’s ceiling, a few falling behind Retsu to surround them. Retsu immediately turned so he and Shido were back to back, and Shido glanced over at him just in time to see him swing his hammer and send one of the spiders flying. Shido turned back to the enemies in front of him to do the same, and it wasn’t long until the battle was over, leaving just them and several mounds of squashed spider carcass.

Shido turned to see Retsu with his visor up again, wiping his brow as he looked over their work. He turned to meet Shido’s gaze, giving him a small smile, and for the first time, Shido was thankful for the whole face-disguising feature of helmets.

“You, uh… You were surprisingly cool.”

Retsu raised an eyebrow at him, his smile turning into a smirk.

“What? Did you think I came here with no combat ability? I told you this wasn’t my first time.” He lowered his visor again, hefting his hammer back over his shoulder. “Besides, they were just spiders.”

It wasn’t much further until they’d reached far enough into the cave where all the deposits weren’t already exhausted, though that was of course thanks to the number of monsters that occupied the same space, the once silent tunnels now echoing with distant movements and strange cries.  
They found a good place to mine just as a trio of tougher monsters entered the cavern they were in, and Shido readied himself for battle while Retsu covered the deposit. Somehow, knowing Retsu was behind him while he fought made the fight feel more intense than a regular encounter, and when he was finished with them, he found himself scanning the other passages for approaching foes before daring to turn back to Retsu.  
When he did, Retsu was looking at him, lifting his hands in polite applause as they met gazes.

“So, uh, what did you find?” Shido lifted his helmet off so he could breathe, out of breath from the battle.

“About what one would expect from a gold deposit: gold.”

“Is that what you were looking for? For your project?”

“... Well, it’s one part of it, but not what I needed.” He started loading the ore into his pack, leaving the rest for Shido. “Nevermind that, though, I think this about as much as we can both carry. We’ll call it good enough.”  
Shido put back on his helmet and knelt down to fill his own pack, Retsu keeping a lookout while he did so, hammer at the ready.  
“You know,” Retsu turned to offer Shido a hand, keeping his eye on the other passages as he helped him up, “the good thing about going in a group is that you can bring back more than you could carry alone.” He turned to Shido, smile audible in his voice. “And the good thing about going yourself is that you don’t have to buy it off adventurers.”

“Wha-!?”

Retsu laughed again, loud enough that the sound echoed strangely off the cavern walls.

“I’m kidding- I know I couldn’t have gotten any of my share without your help. I’ll pay you for it.” He stepped forward, looking towards the way they came before glancing over at Shido. “Come back to the armory with me, we can do it today. I’m sure you don’t want to carry all that around until we reopen.”

Shido waited as Retsu unlocked the door to the armory, peeking his head in before stepping inside, holding the door open for Shido to follow. Though the sun had begun to set, Retsu didn’t bother turning on the lights, the room taking on a different appearance than what Shido was used to, with long shadows stretching across the counters in the shapes of the weapons and armor on display. Baku and his party apparently hadn’t returned yet, or at least he hadn’t come straight home, and Shido glanced around the empty store front before heaving an exhausted breath, lifting his helmet off his head. He couldn’t help but snicker as Retsu did the same, and as he turned in the direction of the shop’s tall mirror he quickly realized why, frowning as he ran his hand through the smushed mess of spikes on his head.

“Anyway, let’s get your pack empty, shall we?”

Retsu gave an embarrassed cough, running another hand through his hair before moving to his counter and dumping the contents of his pack onto it, sliding them over to make room for Shido’s share. Shido watched with his elbows propped on the counter, chin in his hands as Retsu started counting their combined haul.

“So, what are you gonna do about that thing you were working on?”

Retsu frowned a bit, shaking his head.

“Ugh, I’m too exhausted to work on it anyway. I don’t know how people do that for a living.”

Shido couldn’t help but smile at the comment, feeling the words “real adventurer” ring in his head again.

“Do you think Baku found any of what you were looking for?”

“... I didn’t tell him what I was after. He.. Probably would’ve known what it was for.” 

“So, what were you going to do if I hadn’t shown up?”

“I’m not sure, probably went back and posted a request somewhere.” He handed the money for the gold over the counter, Shido sliding it closer before starting to put it away. “Unfortunately, it’s really valuable, so the only deposits for it are in the deepest part of the caves, where the monsters are the most dangerous. It’s definitely not something I can get on my own, and ordering it takes forever- plus it costs an arm and leg.” Shido couldn’t help but hear an obvious quest in the explanation, and Retsu frowned when he looked up and read his expression. “Like I said, it’s dangerous, so I wouldn’t feel right asking you to get some for me while you’re going alone...” He paused, his expression changing. “... Maybe, next time the armory’s closed, however… We could try together?”  
Shido grinned, and his reaction seemed to catch Retsu off guard, looking at him uncertainly before returning his smile.  
“All right.” He thought for a moment, glancing over the counter at Shido’s equipment before looking back up at him. “In that case, can you show me your hammer? I’ve found a few ways to make it more effective in combat.”

“Didn’t you just say that you were tired?”

Shido pulled back out his hammer, laying it on the counter as Retsu reached eagerly for the handle.

“This isn’t that big a deal. Besides, it’ll help keep us both safe next week, so it’s the least I can do.” Retsu reached under his counter, starting to go through his tools while Shido watched him quizzically.

“So, what exactly are we looking for next week?”

With his head mostly obscured by the counter, Shido could just barely see Retsu’s eyebrows arc, his head raising slightly to look at him before ducking down again.

“Right, I guess you’ll have to know that if you’re going to help me. I’m looking for diamond.”


	3. Chapter 3

While pride had once made it hard for Shido to ask other adventurers for advice, he now saw it as what smart adventurers did to get things done, resisting the urge to brag about the difficulty of his quest as he asked around the local tavern for information on the deeper caves.  
A few of the older adventurers had an idea about the diamond deposits Retsu had mentioned, comparing maps with him and describing the kinds of enemies he might encounter and how to fight them. Shido later tried to tell Retsu what he learned, but Retsu quickly quieted him, insisting that he could wait until they were in the caves. He at least got to compare what he’d heard to Baku’s monster book, but part way through he turned to see Retsu watching them nervously, suddenly remembering that Retsu had been hiding this particular quest from Baku for some reason. Though he felt himself wondering why, the thought of asking Retsu after possibly giving away his secret sent him hurrying to the door instead, hoping that whatever he was supposed to be keeping from Baku stayed hidden.

Shido entered into the cave to find the Retsu’s unusually colored armor waiting for him, thumbing up his visor as he reached into his pack.

“I asked Kuguru to lend me some healing potions, just in case something happens.” He pulled out one of the bottles, shaking it a bit before putting it down and slipping his pack back over his shoulders. “I know where we’re going is dangerous even for most adventurers, so… I’ll try not to be dead weight.”

Shido wasn’t sure what to make of his attitude, considering his bravado last time they’d met in the caves, and after a moment, the thought suddenly occurred to him that he might be scared.  
Shido instinctually puffed out his chest, hefting his hammer over his shoulder the way he’d seen Retsu do last time.

“You don’t have to worry, since you’re traveling with a _real adventurer_!” He felt a twinge of embarrassment as he caught himself echoing Retsu’s words from before, looking away and spotting the handle of his hammer. “Besides, you’ve already done something useful- you added the cool spike to the end of my hammer!”

Retsu smiled at him, something about the expression putting butterflies in Shido’s stomach, and then he pulled his visor down again, readying his own hammer over his shoulder.

“I really can see you being painted on a tapestry.” He turned away from the mouth of the cave, looking towards the passages leading deeper inside. “You’ve come a long way from the guy who bled out on the cave floor on your first day.”

“Um, yes, I have, so how about you forget about that already!”

A chuckle rumbled through Retsu’s armor, his head turning towards him again.

“It’s pretty satisfying seeing you in that armor. It suits you.” Even with the visor down, Shido got the distinct feeling that Retsu was still giving him that look, just the thought making him feel nervous. “I never saw myself doing what we’re about to do today, but if I am, I’m glad it’s with you.”  
Shido froze, unable to think of a reply as the butterfly feeling paralyzed him, and Retsu stared at him a moment before giving him another quiet laugh.  
“You know where to go?”

“Huh? Um, yeah, I have a map, actually.” He pulled it out, quickly glancing it over before stuffing it away again and stepping forward, oddly relieved for the change in topic.

With an actual destination in mind, it was easier to pick paths. While he’d started with less dangerous caves and worked his way up to this one, there were always certain constants- paths often used and lit by torches found themselves avoided by weaker monsters, meaning that at least the first part of the journey was quiet and without tedious fights against weak enemies.  
The silence had its own dangers, however. Ever since Baku had first pointed out his cousin’s staring habit, Shido had made a game out of catching him in the act, to the point where he could recognise the feeling of Retsu’s eyes on him even when his back was turned- which it currently was, since Retsu was walking behind him. Retsu had a way of making him feel like he was under a spotlight, and while that was often a good feeling, it also helped to explain the sickly butterfly feeling- he never thought he’d be one to get stage fright, but when he had so captive an audience, he couldn’t help but want to do his best for them.  
Which, of course, reminded him of what they were doing. They were going further into the cave than Shido had ever dared, and if he was being honest, he wasn’t too sure how he’d fare. He was at least grateful that Retsu would take care of the mining part so he wouldn’t have to turn his back on potential enemies, but the idea of getting outnumbered and letting something reach Retsu….  
Well…………….  
It was a yucky feeling.

“Okay, stop for a second.” The footsteps behind him stopped as Shido turned around to face Retsu. “I just wanna… Go over the plan.” Retsu nodded, and Shido pulled out his map again, even though he’d gone over the route multiple times in his head. “So basically, once we reach that cavern up ahead, we could be attacked at any time. I should be able to handle anything that comes at us for the next three passages or so, and then...”

“And then?”

“Well, that’s as far as I usually go. After constantly fighting things off to get to that point, I don’t normally chance going any further and making the return trip harder.” Shido could feel Retsu growing tenser with every word, his mind suddenly going back to his doubts at the entrance. “I-I mean, it’ll be a lot easier with you here- and a lot of the reason I don’t go further is that I have to watch my back the whole time I’m digging stuff up too, so-”

“Are you sure you can do this?” His voice was even tenser than the rest of him, the sound enough to make Shido stiffen. “I won’t let you killed just to help me get a stupid diamond.”

“No- I can do it!” He could feel the spotlight burning into him, fist clenching as he pushed aside his own doubts. “We can definitely make it- and I won’t let anything hurt you!”

Retsu stayed silent, a long moment of his helmet’s expressionless visor facing his, and this time Shido really wished he could tell what kind of expression he was making under there.

“Fine. I’ll trust that you know your own abilities.” His tone was grim, and stepped forward to look into the next cavern, no longer facing him. “This better not be some heroic bravado. If it is, it’s putting both our lives at risk.”

When they ran into their first monster, Retsu swung at it with a ferocity that scared Shido more than any monster he’d encountered.

The journey was easier with two people- while Retsu’s words still weighed in his mind, Shido was beginning to think that his promise was more than just bravado. Retsu was useful against more than just spiders, and if anything, he looked just as hell bent on proving Shido right as Shido was, to the point where Shido’s main worry was if Retsu’s stamina would give out. Part of him wanted to ask Retsu to let him handle the fighting early on, but he knew that he’d need his strength for the deeper caverns, where monsters were more territorial and their numbers less controlled.  
Once they passed the point he knew, the size and number of enemies didn’t ramp up right away. Only as they exited the first unfamiliar cavern did they come across a new enemy, an ogre nearly as large as the passage it stood in. Shido found himself instinctively stepping in front of Retsu, just in time to stop him from charging it headlong.   
Holding a hand behind him to get Retsu to stay back, Shido ran for it, crouching low as he switched his grip on his hammer to backhand. He successfully ducked under the ogre’s fist as it swung at him, rearing back and driving the point at the end of his hammer just under the ogre’s knee. With a loud cry, it started to fall forwards, and Shido nearly got crushed as he raced out of the way, bracing himself against the wall as it fell with a heavy thud. Looking back to Retsu, he motioned him forward, leaping onto the fallen ogre’s shoulders and darting down its back into the dark passage behind it.

One thing Shido wasn’t prepared for was the darkness of the passageway- hordes of the scrawny goblins they’d seen in earlier rooms lurked in the shadows, beating at them from all directions. Shido just grabbed Retsu’s arm and ran, trusting their armor to deflect the blows even as he inwardly cursed at the thought of his getting scratched.   
The darkness only improved marginally as they emerged from the narrow cavern, Shido shouting over his shoulder for Retsu to get out a light as he positioned them against a wall to avoid being surrounded. As soon as Retsu found some form of illumination, Shido shrieked, finding himself eye-to-eye with another ogre, and he quickly turned to tackle Retsu to the ground as its fist came flying at them. As soon as they hit the ground, another horde of goblins ran over them, only to get swept away by the ogre, apparently territorial over its prey. The horde’s swift retaliation was the only thing giving the two adventurers time to scramble to their feet and get away, moving deeper into the cavern to distance themselves from the fight.

Retsu started to say something about turning back, but Shido grabbed the light from him before he could finish speaking, sweeping its light across the walls of the cavern until he saw something shine. Every monster the light hit first took immediate notice, and Shido quickly directed it away from the diamond deposit in hopes that they’d run for that spot, muting its rays and making a run for the shine he saw.  
He only realized something was wrong when he heard a shout, followed by a clang of metal, and Shido’s stomach dropped as he realized he’d left Retsu behind in the dark. Unmuting his light, he found Retsu underneath a clawed up ogre, with at least three goblins still on its back. Gritting his teeth, Shido changed direction, winding up and hitting the ogre as hard as he could on the side of the head. The ogre reared up, the goblins screeching and scratching into it in an effort to stay on, and their attacks distracted the Ogre just long enough for Shido to pull Retsu up and start dragging him back the way they came.

Shido could barely breathe by the time they reached a lit cavern again, with Retsu no better, limping but able to support himself.  
Shido wanted to apologise - for leaving him behind, for breaking his promise of protecting him, for failing to get the diamonds - but even if he wasn’t struggling just to breathe, the weight of the combined failures was enough to stop his voice in his throat.

“We can’t stop here, can we?” It was Retsu’s voice, ragged with pain and breathlessness even as he scanned the cavern for more enemies.

Shido just shook his head, the sound of Retsu’s voice still echoing in his head as he picked himself up and kept walking.

They were able to make it back to safer path with thankfully low encounters. Even if the danger there was nothing compared to those in the darker passages beyond, at their level of fatigue, Shido wondered if either could even lift their hammers if an enemy appeared. He’d managed to drag them both out of danger before on pure adrenaline, but now that they were relatively safe, the only thing that kept Shido moving was fear of a conversation.

Nonetheless, Shido found himself hesitating at the mouth of the cavern, finally breathing normally enough to speak.

“I-”

“-am an idiot.” Retsu immediately interrupted him, and Shido turned to see Retsu glaring at him, visor raised so his eyes were clearly visible. “We could’ve both been killed.”  
Shido felt his voice die at the anger in Retsu’s, his head falling. Retsu just sighed, stepping closer and starting to examine his armor for damage.  
“... I hate adventurers. Reckless glory-seekers who think they’re heroes when they’re not.” Shido couldn’t help but stiffen as Retsu’s hands moved over him, checking him over for dents and broken fastens. “This is the only way I have to protect you idiots.”  
Stepping away, he turned towards the cave’s entrance, hesitating as he looked through it.   
“Come back to the shop with me, I want to straighten out the dents in your armor.”

Baku was once again absent when they entered the armory, Retsu not giving the absence a second thought as he walked past the counters, motioning for Shido to follow him to the back.

Retsu’s workshop was smaller than Shido expected, though maybe that impression just came from how crowded it was. There was a long table covered in a variety of tools, only some of which Shido could identify, and most of the far wall was occupied by a humongous forge.

As he looked around, Retsu started taking off his armor, and after a moment Shido did the same, placing its many pieces in a lop-sided pile on the floor by Retsu’s work bench.  
Once Retsu was free of his own armor, he searched the pile of Shido’s, picking up a piece he’d identified earlier and setting it on the table. Picking up a small mallet, he pounded the metal forcefully enough that Shido immediately regretted being unprotected, unable to repress the image of Retsu swinging it at his head next.

“Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing.” Retsu gave the metal another hard hit, the sound making Shido flinch. He then set the mallet down and lifted the piece of armor, turning it over before setting it down again.  
“Look, I’m… sorry, for yelling at you before. You only ventured that far into the caves because I asked you to.” Retsu gave a soft sigh, picking up another piece of Shido’s armor and setting it down on the table in front of him, giving it another thundering hit. “It’s just, when you took the light from me, and then I couldn’t see you anymore, I- I didn’t know if I’d lost you.” He rose the mallet to give the armor another hit before stopping and putting it down, his voice quieting. “If something had happened to you in there, well… There wouldn’t be a use for the diamond anymore.”

Shido looked up from his armor on the table, his eyes widening on him.

“Wait- that project you’ve been working on… It’s something for me!?”

Retsu’s expression tensed, eyes widening slightly as he realized what he’d said.

“Oh. Um… Well, you’ll see, I guess.”

“But, how? I mean, we didn’t really get the diamond...”

“I guess I’ll have to get it the old fashioned way. Looks like I owe my usual suppliers more credit, anyhow. I think I understand now why these are so expensive.”  
He gave the armor another hit with the mallet, lifting it up and examining the other side for dents again as Shido squirmed awkwardly, looking from his armor to Retsu’s, a large dent visible in the chestplate.

“I mean, are you sure you…? After how things went back there, I wouldn’t want to make me something...”

Shido jolted as Retsu gave the mallet another objecting hit, turning back to Retsu to see him giving Shido a cold glare.

“I’ll decide what I do with my time and my resources.”


End file.
